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San Francisco wants to know who dumped more than 10 tons of debris, including shingles and other roofing material, on a sidewalk in the Bayview district. A neighbor discovered the mess near 1347 Donner Avenue.

The Bayview has become a dumping ground for businesses that do not want to pay to dispose of their debris, leaving the San Francisco Department of Public Works to mop up. “The Southeast section of San Francisco is frequently targeted by large-scale industrial dumping activity,” said the Department's spokeswoman, Gloria Chan.

In the past six months alone, city crews have had to clean up 12 such messes there, hauling away 130 tons of material. Donner Avenue has been targeted four times in the last five months.

“It is desolate out there in the nighttime,” Chan said. “It’s a light industrial area.” Although no one lives on the block where the dumping occurred, people do live nearby. “It’s tough to see because it really hurts the quality of life in those neighborhoods."

She said the city hauls away 10,000 tons of garbage and debris dumped on the streets each year, at a cost of $4 million. The debris includes large-scale construction waste, mattresses, TVs, and furniture.

Tuesday morning, the city attorney, the district attorney and the police department came out to inspect the mess, with investigators sifting through the contents of the debris to look for clues as to whom had left it. “They are actively seeking and pursing leads in this particular incident,” Chan said.